WITH eight show halls, and performances starting every 15 minutes, it was a tight schedule for spectators wanting to view a majority of performances at the 2015 Gymnaestrada in Helsinki, Finland.

However according to Taree PCYC Gymaroos coach Sarah Hayes, the CEO of Gymnastics Australia Mark Rendall made a special effort to see the Taree PCYC Gymaroos perform.

"The head of the National Danish Performance Team also came to see us. Considering they are one of the world's best, we felt really proud," said Sarah.

The Taree PCYC Gymaroos had three performances, shared with other Australian teams, and also a special Midnight Sun performance involving 3000 international performers.

The Midnight Sun Special Evening, was a performance celebrating the "nightless nights" of Finland.

Thousands of gymnasts performed at 9pm, under the Finnish Midnight Sun - a first for the World Gymnaestrada.

Sarah said the Gymaroos were complimented on their authentic performance using local Biripi stories and choreography from Bangarra Dance Theatre.

Interacting with the other international performers was a particular highlight for the Taree PCYC Gymaroos, Sarah said.

A tradition at Gymnaestrada, she explained, is for teams to swap their country's pins, hats and other home country memorabilia.

With other countries having thousands of performers, swapping with Australians was a highly sought after activity, which created a lot of international friendships.

The team members were gone for three weeks, however, only two days were used for sightseeing in Copenhagen, Denmark, says Sarah.

A part from the Gymnaestrada, the rest of their time was spent visiting and training in different gyms across Denmark.

They were hosted by many different families in Denmark.

"Taree PCYC has always prided itself on being very international, hosting coaches and students. This really paid off with our abundance of options."

Next up for the PCYC Gymaroos their annual show on September 5 at Manning Entertainment Centre.

Doreen's special honour

IT was a great, but emotional, honour for Doreen Rayward when she carried the Australian flag at the 2015 Gymnaestrada in Helsinki, Finland.

"There were a few tears," admitted 82-year-old Doreen, who established Taree PCYC Gymaroos in 1988, as well as gymnastic classes at Forster Gym Club when moving from Sydney to Forster/Tuncurry in 1976.

In carrying the flag, organisers were worried how Doreen would manage after having a shoulder reconstruction earlier this year - but she held it strongly and proudly.

"I had extra support and adrenaline on my side!"

Australia followed Argentina into arena at the opening ceremony, meaning Doreen and the Gymaroos were some of the first to fill the stadium of the 30,000 performers.

Doreen has attended the Gymnaestrada with the Taree PCYC Gymaroos for the first time in 1991, and then in 1995, 2011 and 2015. She also attended the event in 1999 with a NSW Combined Clubs.

Also attending the Gymnaestrada in 1991 was the Gymjellies, a team formed from those aged between 30 and 58.

Doreen's memories of the initial 1991 Gymnaestrada in Amsterdam involve the Taree PCYC Gymaroos "creating a stir".

"Our choreography focused on telling a story and having a theme, something Europe hadn't really seen before," she said.

"After this they followed us, incorporating more storytelling in their choreography."

She also remembers the standard of others choreography as being "quite astonishing".

For this year's Gymnaestrada Doreen and her husband stayed the entire week watching as many performances as they could.

She said the Taree PCYC Gymaroos greatly deserved the standing ovation they received.

In a profile story with Manning River Times sports journalist Mick McDonald in 2001, Doreen's vast history with gymnastics was revisited.

Doreen's association with gymnastics started in 1953 when she was a young physical education teacher in Sydney.

Around the time of the 1956 Olympics Doreen was contacted by the Department of Education to perform gymnastics to music.

After the birth of her three children, Doreen did a gymnastics course with the NSW Association, from there she started developing gymnastic squads in schools.

After her move to Forster-Tuncurry she started gymnastic squads in schools and continued her gym work outside school hours, eventually resulting in the formation of the Forster Gym Club and the Taree PCYC Gymaroos.

Doreen left the Taree PCYC in 1998 and Justin Hayes and Simon Thompson took over running the gym. She had accepted a position with NSW Gymnastics and the Super League Group, requiring a move part-time to Sydney.

These days you can find Doreen teaching her program Gym 4 Life for those over 55 in Forster.

She is a life member of Gymnastics New South Wales and has coached and qualified many coaches including Taree PCYC Gymaroos coach Sarah Hayes.

On gymnastics Doreen says "I'll do it forever!"

"I'm only 82-years young!"